The lawyer did not comment on a report in Le Figaro newspaper that the lawsuit was worth up to €45m, saying only that his client wished to remain discreet and anonymous.

Other users had also encountered the Uber software bug, Le Figaro said.

The newspaper carried out its own experiment by logging in and out of Uber on one iPhone and then logging in on another and ordering a driver. The app then sent screen notifications about the order to both phones.

The glitch affected iPhones before a software update in December, the newspaper said. Android phones did not appear to be affected.

Uber said it would not comment on the case but added that the best possible protection of clients’ personal details was a priority.